Deilenaar Rabbit
Deilenaar Rabbit
HISTORY
The Deilenaar rabbit was developed in the
fruit growing region of Betuwe, in the town of Deli, Holland
where the breed gets it's name. Mr. G.W.A. Ridderhof developed
the breed in the 1930s, however he did not let it be known what
breeds were used in the Deilenaars makeup. Leading rabbit
authorities suggest that Flemish Giant, New Zealand Red,
Chinchilla and Tans were used to create the breed we know of
today. There is a strong belief that the Belgian Hare may have
also been used to produce the rich fiery red agouti color and
unique mackereling of black ticking. The Deilenaar was accept
to the Dutch Standard on May 1, 1940, just mere days before the
occupation of Holland during World War ll. The breed was slow
to reach other European countries because of the war. The
United Kingdom recognized the Deilenaar rabbit to the British
Rabbit Council's Standards in the late 1980s.
Deilenaars are a friendly, but lively
rabbit. They are strong and robust, with a short body that is
muscular throughout. The coat is the most eye catching feature
of the breed, being longer than most other breeds. The warm red
color is accented by the very heavily spotted black ticking
referred to as "Mackereling". The coat has a
marvelous luster to it and unique to the breed, the fur is
shorter on the head, ears and legs from the rest of the body.
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TYPE - The type is short, thickset and well
rounded. Head is carried on an invisible neck. The build is
firm, with broad fore and hindquarters. The legs are firm and
short.
FUR - The fur is of sufficient length so
that the wavy ticking is shown to full advantage. The fur is
close, very dense and lustrous.
HEAD & EARS - The head is strongly
developed especially in males. The length of the ears should be
10 - 12 cm. (4 to 5 inches) with the ideal being 11 cm. (4 1/2
inches). The ears are strong and erect.
WEIGHT - 2.5 - 3.5 kg. (5 1/2 - 7 3/4 lbs.)
TOP & BELLY COLOR - The top color is
warm red brown, with strong wavy ticking. This refers to the
entire body except the belly and the inside of the hind legs.
Muzzle, jaw line and the inside of the ears are tan colored.
The ears are laced with black. The forelegs are heavily ticked,
but more regularly ticked than the body because of the shorter
fur on them.
The ticking on the back, flanks and head
should be wavy, to give a "Mackerel" appearance. The
triangle on the nape is a rusty red. The color of the belly is
cream to sandy red. There is a thin rusty red line dividing the
belly and body colors. The chest is warm red brown with slight
ticking. The eyes are dark brown, the nails are darn horn and
the whiskers are colored.
INTERMEDIATE & BASE COLOR - The
intermediate color is rusty red brown. The base color of the
body and chest is slate blue and to be evenly divided. The
belly under color is creamy except at the rust red groin
streaks, where the under color is blue.
CONDITION - The body should be meaty and
muscular, in other words it must be hard. Flabby, thin or too
fat animals are fundamentally wrong. The nails should be
regularly cut and clean. The fur should be clean and without
matts. The eyes should be bright and twinkling of spirit. The
animal should be allowed to show itself resulting in a good
posture.
MINOR FAULTS - Slight deviation in type; a
few white hairs, weak "mackerel" or poor ticking;
banded forelegs; and white whiskers.
SEVERE FAULTS - Severe deviation in type;
many white hairs; very weak intermediate and under color; wrong
top color - too grey or too yellow; completely even ticking
(i.e. lacking "mackerel"); chest completely tan; tan
belly; and blue under color at belly or tail.
